The Wisconsin chapter of the Soil Conservation Society of America (SCSA) dates to the formation of a chapter in Milwaukee in 1945. In 1953 members of the SCSA from the state at-large voted to expand the Milwaukee Chapter, thereby forming the Wisconsin Chapter so that they could participate in events on more than the national level. The Soil Conservation Society of America issued a charter in 1953, and in 1954 the chapter wrote a constitution at an organizational meeting. The chapter's stated purpose was the promotion of soil and water conservation through the exchange of information and practical work. In May 1954 the chapter held its first regional meeting in Stevens Point. Subsequently it held two to three regional meetings a year, in addition to an annual meeting. In 1955, the chapter sponsored a national meeting of the Soil Conservation Society of America in Green Lake. Each meeting carried a theme relating to soil and water conservation, ranging from educational plans to practical solutions. The Wisconsin Chapter started a newsletter in 1956 and a Boy Scout Committee in 1958. In 1967 it investigated the erosion of Wisconsin roadsides as one of its more ambitious projects, publishing a report of the findings in 1969.
